Super Junior's Kim Hee-chul avoids drunk driving by not owning a car

Super Junior's Kim Hee-chul has maintained a 10-year principle of not owning a car to prevent drunk driving. His decision to avoid car ownership follows a past experience where group member Kangin left the team in 2019 after repeated drunk driving accidents.

As the broadcasting industry faces a backlash following successive drunk driving controversies involving celebrities, Super Junior's Kim Hee-chul is gaining renewed attention for a unique method of preventing drunk driving he revealed on a past broadcast. While he enjoys alcohol, he has established a firm principle to never engage in drunk driving by preemptively blocking the risk through not owning a car. His candid confession, "If I can't quit alcohol, I'll just quit driving," delivers a heavy message amid a series of ongoing drunk driving accidents.

In March, a video titled "'20-year idol Shindong, Hee-chul's legendary exposé makes Hong Jin-kyung burst into laughter" was released on the YouTube channel Study King Real Genius Hong Jin-kyung. During the appearance, Hong Jin-kyung marveled at Kim Hee-chul's excellent memory, prompting him to connect his memory to his drinking habits. He showed self-restraint, stating, "That's why, Noona, it's scary because my memory is a bit patchy lately. So, I really shouldn't drink too much."

When Hong Jin-kyung asked, "How much do you usually drink?" Kim Hee-chul honestly replied, "I drink a lot." Hong Jin-kyung then followed up, "I heard that the reason you don't have a car is so you won't cause an accident after drinking?" Kim Hee-chul nodded, explaining his choice. It was a practical decision to eliminate the possibility of driving after drinking rather than trying to force a change in his affinity for alcohol.

"That's right. I can't quit alcohol. If I can't quit alcohol, I'll just quit driving," Kim Hee-chul said. His idea is to remove the environment where he could hold a steering wheel if giving up alcohol is difficult. When Hong Jin-kyung expressed surprise, saying, "So that's why you don't have a car," Kim Hee-chul replied, "Yes, I don't have a car. For more than 10 years now." This revealed that his choice is not just a lifestyle, but a principle he has maintained for a long time to preemptively block the danger of drunk driving.

The reason Kim Hee-chul's choice is being highlighted again is also due to Super Junior's past experience of facing significant social repercussions due to a member's drunk driving. Member Kangin caused a hit-and-run drunk driving accident in 2009 and returned after a period of self-reflection, but controversy repeated when he caused another drunk driving accident in 2016. Ultimately, Kangin left the team in 2019. This is why Kim Hee-chul's principle draws more attention, having witnessed firsthand the consequences caused by drunk driving within the group.

Kim Hee-chul's choice to give up car ownership to avoid the risk of drunk driving, while not hiding his love for alcohol, is noteworthy in terms of self-control and risk management. This is because drunk driving is not a matter to be left solely to an individual's momentary judgment, but a serious act that threatens the lives and safety of others. The method of fundamentally reducing the possibility of holding a steering wheel can serve as a practical safety measure to prevent drunk driving.

In particular, as drunk driving controversies involving celebrities continue, including the recent drunk driving accident of Go Kyung-pyo, Kim Hee-chul's past remarks are being re-summoned as a case that awakens social awareness beyond a simple episode in an entertainment show. Instead of thinking that one cannot give up driving because it is difficult to quit alcohol, his method of first blocking the option of driving makes one rethink the essence of drunk driving prevention. In that creating an environment where one cannot drive is as important as the vow not to drive after drinking, Kim Hee-chul's 10-year principle leaves a message that remains valid today.

Read the original (Korean)